The Ten Pirate Lords
by j1ack
Summary: This explains what happened between the ending of AWE and the scene after the credits from Elizabeth's POV.  Please R&R.
1. Elizabeth Turner

Miss Swann. That's what they all called me. What was the point of getting married by the notorious Captain Barbossa on the deck of _The Black Pearl_ while it was fighting_ The Flying Dutchman_ in the middle of a maelstrom when you couldn't even tell anyone about it because if you did, everything you had been so kindly offered by an old friend of your murdered father's would be taken away, and you would be hanged for being the wife of a pirate? I never regretted marrying Will, don't get me wrong, but after about three months of living in Port Royale in my old manner of life, I got sick. Literally. I was puking everywhere. The doctor that my father's old friend had called in (I can't for the life of me ever remember that man's name) diagnosed it as a mild stomach flu, and it would probably go away in a few weeks. I myself had diagnosed it as just being sick. Sick of the way I was living. Sick of everyone who dared called me Miss Swann, even though they didn't know any better. Sick for glittering blue waters, sick for the sea breeze in my face, sick for the pirates of whom I was king. Most of all, I was sick for the man whom I loved, although that particular need would have to wait for a bit less than a decade.

I couldn't bear to satisfy any of this. Going out on the open seas would only increase my missing Will, and it would only bring up painful memories. I told myself this every day after our one day on that beach. After that one day on the beach that Will and I might never have again. As the decades passed, I would continue to age, while Will wouldn't. He would stay young and handsome forever, and at some point, I was positive that he wouldn't want me anymore.

I was reading a book on the porch of my house. Not a fantasy novel which I highly enjoyed during my youth, but a rather lengthy history of the first discovery of the Americas. Not that I found it extremely fascinating, but history was one of the only genres of books I could read that didn't arouse memories of the present. One of my servants walked up and dropped a note on the table beside me and said, "Mistress Ching sends her regards."

I didn't look up from my book, and the servant took that as a cue to leave. A few pages later, I sneaked a glance at the note. Across the front it read, "_To Her Highness Elizabeth Turner_." I looked back up for the servant who delivered it, but he was long gone. I really shouldn't be letting my guard down so much.

I set down my book and tried not to look too eager in my snatching up of the note and ripping it from its envelope.

_To the King of the Brethren Court, Elizabeth Turner,_

_ Time is fleeting, as is the tide. The Court has problems of its own, and it needs its King. Meet me at the docks when the tide is scheduled to next go out._

_ Lord of the Brethren Court, _

_Mistress Ching_

* * *

><p>I set the note down, picked up my book, and continued reading where I had left off.<p>

"Where is she?" asked Donghai, who was Mistress Ching's first mate. "You said that she would be here."

"No," replied Mistress Ching. "I said I thought she might come. Apparently I thought wrong. Prepare to set sail. We leave in one hour."

* * *

><p>About a week after I received that note from Mistress Ching, I decided I was being a baby and a spoiled brat. I was a grown woman, and I had entered into marriage knowing that we were going to face hard times (Although at the time I was more thinking about which opponent I was going to spar next). I was going to enjoy the rest of my life as King of the Brethren Court, and if I saw Will, I was going to suck it up and deal with it.<p>

I dug my sword and men's clothes out of the bottom of the truck that stood at the end of my bed. I was sailing for Tortuga.


	2. Port Royal

From previous experiences, I preferred not to stowaway on a merchant ship. That ended up being a lot of unnecessary running around, hiding, and pretending to be some lost spirit. I wasn't actually sure if there was going to be a pirate ship in Port Royal tonight, but I would take my chances. If none were there, I could always take the less preferred route. Plus, if I stowed away on a pirate ship, they would most likely dock in Tortuga sometime in the near future. That wouldn't have anything to do with me being their king, I suppose. I wasn't quite sure what I should do after that. I didn't want to track down Mistress Chang and help the Court with their problems just yet. I needed to just go, as some would put it, drown my sorrows.

It seemed the only problem would be actually _getting_ to the port.

"Miss Swan, what are you doing up and about at such a late hour?"

I had a sudden urge to wring the porter's neck. Oh, well. Step one of avoiding someone: lie.

"I was feeling rather restless, so I decided to take a late night stroll through the town."

"The curfew has already been in effect for several hours, Miss Swan."

"I won't wander too far; I promise."

I made a move to continue toward the door, but he blocked my path.

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that. Perhaps in the morning, Miss Swan."

Step two: seduction plus bribery. I pulled a gold coin from the bodice of my dress and placed it in his hand.

"Perhaps you can let me do it now."

He set the coin on a nearby table.

"I'm afraid I don't accept bribes, Miss Swan."

Well, he was a tough nut to crack. I took the pistol that I was concealing in my parasol and knocked him over the head. Poor man never saw it coming. I made sure to catch him so he didn't make too much noise as he fell.

"Step three," I said aloud, "knock them unconscious."

* * *

><p>Port Royal was surprisingly quiet at night. One might think that the streets would be filled with soldiers walking unsteadily from too much alcohol, or even a few drunkards wandering aimlessly around and speaking gibberish. In fact Port Royal used to be exactly like this during my childhood; however, a new admiral had recently been assigned here to manage the soldiers and the town. Since then a strict curfew had been enforced. Soldiers were patrolling the streets, and not a soul was allowed on public property after sundown. So this would be the hard part.<p>

After I got out of the house, I maneuvered myself into the back gardens to change. I thought a dress might have made me less suspicious as I went out of the house; maybe if I ran into anyone, they would let me pass. I saw how well that turned out.

I left my dress and parasol (I suppose that gave me away; I was carrying a parasol at night. That doesn't change the fact that I needed somewhere to hide my gun) in the garden, slung my bag over my shoulder, and clambered over the wall. I landed in a dark alleyway between two well patronized shops. The square in which the shops were located just so happened to be where a large amount of navy soldiers were posted. Was I really that unlucky?

I climbed back up the wall, and pulled myself up onto the roof of one of the shops, which just so happened to be not much taller than the wall. From that rooftop I jumped to the next rooftop, to the next, and so on. There space between rooftops was a little over a yard at max, with most being just a few inches apart. This worked well until I came to the docks, and I ran out of rooftops.

I searched the harbor for a pirate ship, but there was none; at least that I could see. Most pirate ships had a tendency of hiding in the dark if they needed to make port at a navy port.

I dug a flare out of my bag and waited for the navy soldiers to pass. When no one was looking, I lit the flare and threw it out into the harbor. Before the flare hit the water and went out, I caught a glimpse of a familiar outline on the horizon.

"No way," I whispered.

"Hey! There's someone on the roof!" shouted a guard.

"Time to go," I said. I jumped off the roof and rolled to break my fall.

If you are not a natural at sword fighting, then you learn it, or die trying. If you do an action enough times, then it becomes instinct. That is what Will told me, when he first taught me how to fight. I certainly wasn't a natural. Will even custom made a blade for my weight and stature, but I still couldn't get the hang of it. That was the day when Will started training me.

"Let's have a mock fight."

"You've got to be kidding me," I said, "I couldn't win in a fight against you."

"Maybe it's not about winning or losing," he said with a smile. "Come on." He picked up a sword from a nearby stand. "Let's see what Elizabeth Swan is made of."

I tried to copy his stance but tripped over my feet in the process. When I balanced myself, he attacked, but slowly. He moved his sword as if to attack from the side. I moved to block his maneuver, and the clear ring of metal hitting metal resonated through the forge. He attacked again from the other side, and I moved to block it. He attacked a third time, but this time the attack came from above. I again moved to block it.

"You've already got half of the fight. How do you know such fancy footwork?"

"Well, being the governor's daughter, I had to know how to dance in court. At least I am a natural at something."

And so my training in swordsmanship began. When I was not otherwise occupied, I was with Will learning how to handle a blade. As the months passed, he began attacking more quickly, and I began blocking more quickly. He also taught me to attack, and pretty soon he and I were having real mock fights. Everything flowed as instinct. I didn't have to think about what move I was going to do next, or which opponent I was going to face. I just knew which way to face, which way to attack, feint, and parry.

One person, no matter how good, can easily be outnumbered. This would have happened to me had several familiar pirates not arrived on the scene.

"Need some help, Poppet?"


	3. Tortuga

"So I haven't had the time to ask, but I really do find that I am having the inclination. What exactly brought you to Port Royal?"

The inside of the captain's cabin looked almost exactly the same as it had all of that time ago when I had been kidnapped by the Captain for a cure to their skeletal curse, although this time it didn't look quite as foreboding. The Captain himself looked the same as ever, although his undead monkey was mysteriously missing. Oh, no, he was on the netting. Jack jumped off the netting and onto Barbossa's shoulder. He let out a shrill screech and cocked its head to one side.

"And I haven't had the time to tell you either, but I really _don't_ have the inclination. Do you mind if we take a detour to Tortuga?" I responded.

"And what, may I ask, be the King of Pirates be doing without a ship and crew in Port Royal?"

"And what might you, Barbossa, be doing onboard without a certain Captain Jack Sparrow?"

"Left him behind in Tortuga. Didn't seem worth the arguments over who was captain," Barbossa said with a smile. "So I answered a question of yours, and now you answer a question of mine. Isn't that how things work?"

"I'm afraid not. I appreciate the assisted escape, but I need to know when you plan to next dock at Tortuga."

"Well, with what we gathered from Port Royal, I would say that Tortuga would be our next Port of Call. The crew also needs a bit of cheering up, what with the map to the Fountain stolen by that infernal Sparrow."

"Wonderful! I will be off the _Pearl_ as soon as we make port. Thanks again!" I said with a smile, and probably left Barbossa quite dumfounded as to my intentions. That was fine by me. Not everyone needed to know absolutely everything.

* * *

><p><em>Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me.<em>  
><em>We pillage, we plunder, we rifle, and loot,<em>  
><em>Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho!<em>  
><em>We kidnap and ravage and don't give a hoot,<em>  
><em>Drink up me 'earties, yo ho!<em>

_Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me._  
><em>We extort, we pilfer, we filch, and sack,<em>  
><em>Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho!<em>  
><em>Maraud and embezzle, and even high-jack,<em>  
><em>Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho!<em>

_Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me._  
><em>We kindle and char, inflame and ignite,<em>  
><em>Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho!<em>  
><em>We burn up the city, we're really a fright,<em>  
><em>Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho!<em>

_We're rascals, scoundrels, villans, and knaves,_  
><em>Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho!<em>  
><em>We're devils and black sheep, really bad eggs,<em>  
><em>Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho!<em>

_Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me._  
><em>We're beggars and blighters, ne'er-do-well cads,<em>  
><em>Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho!<em>  
><em>Aye, but we're loved by our mommies and dads,<em>  
><em>Drink up, me 'earties, yo ho!<em>

"Classic," I muttered as I saw a group of extremely intoxicated men swayed off beat to the very same song that I sang as I was singing only a few hours before I met my husband. The Faithful Bride was usually very crowded but only a few patrons were in tonight. A tired looking bartender wiped down the counter and poured what looked like a drink too many for a middle aged man sitting at the bar, who was unintelligibly ranting about something under his breath. A few other patrons sat at tables with their mugs. The singing group stumbled out a few moments ago, leaving the bar eerily quiet.

The bartender eyed me warily as I took a seat at the bar. I thought that it was odd that he should be wary of any customers, given the type of people that he normally served.

"Rum, please," I said as I dropped some coins onto the table. "Top shelf."

He took down a bottle of the liquor and poured me a glass. "Are you the one who's meetin' with them Chinese folk?"

I swallowed the shot and began to pour myself another. "I'm afraid I don't know who you are talking about."

"Bunch of Chinese people came in early this evenin'. They said to watch for a girl dressed in women's clothing, and when she came in, they told me to tell you to go meet them in the first upstairs room on the left," the bartender said as he gestured toward the stairs.

"Well, then! If someone has something to tell me, then they can come down here and tell me themselves, instead of hiding behind closed doors!" I was so beyond fed up with people telling me to meet them places, or help them do something that they could probably do themselves. If this wasn't meant to be a fight, then it was sure going to be a fight if they didn't give me an awfully good explanation.

"Yes, please, by all means, so yourselves so that we may have an open discussion!" Even though I did not know where she came from, Mistress Ching came up to stand beside me, her hand ready to draw her sword.


	4. Mistress Ching

"You need not know our names," said the Chinese man who swaggered down the stairs, and I thought he might have had one too many to drink. "Just know that we are members of the Resistance."

"Against whom are you resisting?" I questioned.

"Against you, Elizabeth Swann, King of the Brethren Court," he said with audible disgust. "The only reason that Sao Feng ever gave you his piece of eight was because you were the only person in the room, _and_ he thought you were Calypso. Therefore, the piece of eight was given under false pretenses and pressured circumstances. _Therefore,_" he said with malice in his eyes, "you have no right to be a pirate lord, let alone a pirate king."

Mistress Ching drew her sword and pointed it at the man. "Enough. I think your men should come out of their hiding places, and then we shall see who has the right to be called pirate lord."

Men began to come out from behind curtains, under tables, and even behind the bar. Now it was completely understandable as to why the bartender looked wary when I walked in. The patrons who hadn't already left were trying to stealthily make their way out of a door or window, but because most of them were drunk, they were having a difficult time with it. It took all of my strength not to burst out laughing. In total, there were five men who were making their stand with the "Resistance", including the one who was currently standing on the staircase, all with swords drawn. Really? These five poorly trained men weren't going to stand a butterfly's chance in a hurricane against me _and _Mistress Ching.

One of the men ran towards me, and I leaned down and flipped him over my back onto a table. I drew my sword to block the attack from my next opponent, and then gave him a huge gash in his left leg, leaving him crippled on the floor. I turned again to see the first man running back up the staircase. I followed him all the way to the back room, where he was trapped, except for the window. We were two stories up, so I doubt he would want to risk breaking his leg.

"Do not think it will stop here, Swann. It will never stop. Our base is stronger than you could possibly imagine. We will hunt you down for the disgrace you caused our pirate lord. "And," he said, "rather than be disgraced by being killed by you, I will take the alternative route."

He drew a dagger from his boot, and stabbed himself in the heart. He stumbled backwards a few steps, and then his lifeless body fell out of the open window and into the empty street below.

I thought I was incapable of gasping like a damsel in distress anymore, but I did in that moment. Mistress Ching came through the door behind me. "What happened?"

I told her, and then she said, "If you back them into a corner like that, they tend to do that. Extreme loyalty to their cause causes them to take extreme measures." She turned back to the door and said, "If you would like, you may come with me on my ship. We were planning on leaving in two hours." She then left, but I didn't follow immediately. I seemed to have trouble tearing my eyes away from the open window, which stared back at me like a predator staring into the eyes of its prey.

* * *

><p>Mistress Ching's cabin was similar to Sao Feng's, except there was a definite feminine touch in her decorations. I sat down in a plush chair, which was placed across from her. I drummed my fingers on her desk. "So what is the problem with the Court?"<p>

Mistress Ching settled in her chair and began her explanation. "According to the Code, when a pirate king is elected, he, or she in your case, must not only receive the popular votes of the nine pirate lords, but he or she must also receive the approval of the pirate lords who did not vote for him within a year. If this does not occur, then the pirate lord revokes all rights to his or her position. If you do manage to get the approvals, you must also appoint another pirate to take your position, because one person cannot be the King of the Brethren Court _and _be a pirate lord at the same time."

"You certainly have my approval," she added. "You certainly showed your valour in the Battle of Shipwreck Cove. I would also be happy to help you in getting the other six pirates' approvals."

"I may just take you up on that offer, seeing as I have neither a ship nor a crew, but before we embark on this little quest, tell me more about this Resistance," I said.

Mistress Ching sighed. "The Resistance is a group of Sao Feng's men who thinks that you tricked Sao Feng into thinking that you were Calypso and then murdered him for his spot on the Brethren Court."

I laughed. "If anyone tricked Sao Feng into believing that I was Calypso, it was Barbossa, and I certainly didn't murder him, unless they think that I controlled a piece of flying wood with my mind to fly straight into his chest."

"Try convincing them of that."

I thought of the Resistance members that we encountered in the Faithful Bride, and concluded that even trying to convince them that their own head was still attached to their shoulders would most likely be impossible.

"I came to Tortuga with Barbossa," I said. "We should talk to him first."

"We should first try to get to him before he sails away," Mistress Ching said, looking out the window. I craned my neck around to see what she was looking at. I could only make out the faint outline of a familiar ship, sailing fast away from Tortuga and toward the moonlit open ocean.


	5. Captain Hector Barbossa

Getting Barbossa's attention was quite a task, which involved a lot of yelling, waving around of arms, and a few canon shots. (Not aimed at the _Pearl,_ of course, just the water around it) It was a miracle we actually caught up to the _Pearl_, seeing as it was the fastest ship in the Caribbean. Must have been the wind. When we actually lined up the two ships and put the gangplank to connect the two, I was completely out of breath.

Barbossa swaggered across the gangplank and landed on the deck of Mistress Ching's ship with a loud thud. With one undead monkey on his shoulder and one ripe green apple in his hand, he asked, "I thought our business was over and done with, Mrs. Turner."

"Why didn't you just give me your approval when you took me to Tortuga?" I panted at him.

"Well, Mrs. Turner," Barbossa grinned, "You never asked for it."

"You, Barbossa, are absolutely impossible!" I yelled in exasperation.

He ignored me and addressed Mistress Ching. "How have you been? Eyesight not too bad, I hope?"

"I could still beat you in any swordfight, Barbossa. Don't fool yourself."

"Well, just thought I'd ask." He then turned to me; I was still huffing and puffing like the big bad wolf ready to tear the little pig's house down. "So you want my approval, do you?"

"Yes, Barbossa," I said, struggling to keep my voice level. "I would greatly appreciate your cooperation in your giving of your approval of me to be the Pirate King."

Barbossa chuckled. "Fancy words for a Pirate King."

"And you haven't used fancier? So are you going to give your approval, or are you disinclined to acquiesce to my request?"

"Alright, Mrs. Turner. You've got me there." He stepped backwards and, as if addressing the heavens, shouted, "Elizabeth Turner, I give you my approval!"

We all stood there staring at him for a few moments, and then I said, "What were you expecting, me to turn into a bunch of crabs and fall off the boat?"

Barbossa looked rather dumbfounded, and then Mistress Ching said, "Alright, Barbossa, I think you've spent enough time on my ship, and I'm sure that you have better things to do than pretend that you are failing to release Calypso again."

"Ah, Mistress Ching, you give me too much credit."

"I'm glad that you know I do. Now go back to your precious _Pearl,_" Mistress Ching said, "I think she's missing you."

Jack screeched, and Barbossa gave a toothy grin. "I'm sure." He turned to go back toward his ship, and waved his hat off in a gesture more gentlemanly than piratey. "Until we meet again, Mistress Ching, Mrs. Turner." He then sauntered back on to the _Pearl_ and began shouting orders and insults at his crew, who had been watching the entire time.

Mistress Ching wasn't the type to give orders directly, but all it took was one look at her first mate Donghai for her crew to prepare to make sail.

"Where exactly are we going?" I asked.

"You only have four more pirate lords of whom you need to gain approval," Mistress Ching said, "Eduardo Villanueva, Capitaine Chevalle, Gentleman Jocard, and Ammand the Corsair. Unfortunately, these pirate lords do not sail these waters. We will have to cross the Atlantic to go into their home waters."

"Honestly, at this point anything involving a boat and water is game for me."

"Wonderful! If you had said no I would have had to reissue orders to my crew. They get so easily confused sometimes; we may have not ever been able to get where we were going."

* * *

><p>After the two ships were far apart from each other, so far apart that they couldn't even see each other on the edge of the horizon, Captain Barbossa set sail again for Tortuga. His crew needed time to recuperate, and he needed time to think about how he could keep his crew paid, since Jack had stolen the map to the fountain. Dawn was just breaking, and the dark night sky was tinged with faint colors of pink and yellow. He only had one crewman in the crow's nest. When he began to climb back down the netting, Barbossa just thought that his shift was over; however, the crewman rushed up to Barbossa with a worried look on his face.<p>

"What is it?" Barbossa snapped impatiently.

"Captain..." the man muttered. Barbossa noticed that he was shaking like a leaf in a slight gust of wind.

"Tell me now what you saw!" Barbossa snapped again.

"It's... Captain... It's the _Queen Anne's Revenge_."


	6. Pregnant

Mistress Ching had actually been expecting me to come along with her when she sent the first note, so she had intentionally brought a ship with two captain's cabins. Not that I was the Captain, but she had the feeling that I might enjoy a private room instead of sleeping below with the crew. I woke and stared at the brown, wooden slats that were the ceiling, and wondered if Will was somewhere looking at similar slats and thinking about me.

Nausea.

The feeling came every morning, a few minutes after I woke up. Being on a ship that was almost constantly tossed around by the waves of the open waters didn't seem to curb the sensation much. I ran out of the cabin and threw myself at the edge of the railing, when I then promptly released most of the contents of my stomach into the churning blue waters below.

I turned around and Mistress Ching was there. How was she always there without my knowing? Could she just appear in places when she thought about them?

"Stomach virus is what the doctor said," I said. "He said it should be gone in a few weeks."

"Why the English seem to train their doctors to be particularly inept is completely beyond me."

I gave her a funny look, and she returned it. "What do you mean?" I asked.

"I mean that the doctor who visited you must have been pretty bad in his profession."

"Why would you say that?"

"Well, he misdiagnosed you."

"And you know this how?"

"I actually have been pregnant a few times myself."

I'm sure several emotions flickered across my face, but I decided to stick with disbelief.

"I'm not sure which fact I'm more surprised with, the fact that _you_ of all people actually let a man close enough to you to get you pregnant, or the fact that you actually think that _I'm_ pregnant."

Mistress Ching smiled. "So it's Captain Turner's child, I'm assuming?"

"I don't know why you think it would be anyone else's. I think I am going to go back to my cabin; please excuse me."

I could practically feel Mistress Ching's eyes on me as I walked back to my cabin. When I got there, I was careful to shut the door behind me. I didn't fling myself down on the plush red comforter and fluffy brown and crimson pillows like I normally did. I instead lay down carefully, and then raised my shirt up to expose my bare midriff. I trailed a finger up my stomach. Could I really be carrying a child?

* * *

><p>Mistress Ching was one of the most civilized pirates that I have ever met. She insisted that we dine formally every night, just the two of us. Despite her few attempts at conversation, nothing seemed to last. I didn't want to talk about my past. My father was dead; my husband left me (albeit not voluntarily). Although <em>I<em> wasn't open to such discussions, that didn't mean that she wasn't willing to divulge.

"So out of curiosity," I said.

"Yes?"

"Are you married?"

"Ah, not anymore. Quite a tragic story, really; I doubt it's appropriate for a dinner conversation."

In any formal setting, this was an indication that she was not inclined to talk about it, but screw formality. I was the _King_ of _Pirates_, and I wanted to know. "It's not as if we are talking about anything more interesting. Let's hear your story."

"Very well, although I should warn you that it doesn't have quite as happy of an ending as yours does.

"I was a self-respecting woman living in Shanghai. My parents had me ready to marry a rice farmer, and that was to be the rest of my life. I was captured by the previous pirate lord of the East China Sea when I was fifteen. Well, more correctly, I was kidnapped by his men. You don't know what most pirates treat women like. You were first held by Barbossa, who needed you to get out of whatever mess he had gotten into that time. All of the other times you were with Sparrow or your now husband, both of whom fancied you. Don't give me that look," she said when one of my eye brows popped up at the mention of Jack liking me.

"Anyway, most pirates don't keep women aboard because they think they are bad luck, but the ones who do end up using them as sex slaves. Baojia, the pirate lord at the time, suggested that I marry him to keep myself away from the harassment of the crew, and I trusted him blindly. My marriage to him ended up being as bad as being at the mercy of the crew. I was pregnant with his children three times, although all three miscarried by 'accidents,'" she said disgust at the recollection of the memory.

"A crew member whom I trusted told me that Baojia had planned all of the accidents because he didn't want to have any crying children aboard his ship. After I learned that, I killed him. I stabbed him with his own dagger, and with his dying breath he made me his successor. He said that he had finally found a person more deceiving than he was," she said with a little laugh.

I was rather disturbed by how nonchalantly she talked about murdering her husband, but before I could comment, the entire ship violently pitched to the right, enough to the point that the tables and chairs shifted a little. Mistress Ching stood up, as Donghai entered the room.

"Captain, have you any experience fighting sea serpents?"


	7. Sea Serpent

Mistress Ching looked at Donghai, and then back at me.

"I fought the Kraken once," I said, almost in the form of a question.

All three of us hurried out of the small room, and I was bombarded by the sight before me.

Broken barrels and shattered crates littered the decks. Most of the netting and sails were partially or completely ripped. One of the masts had a large crack running up the length of it. Crew members were scattered everywhere, and while some were trying to gather a weapon. The ones who had found a weapon were shocked to find that axes, spears, and bullets did nothing against the creature's thick hide. Most of the crew members were just running around aimlessly and yelling in rapid-fire Chinese. One crew member wasn't doing either of these things. He was getting eaten.

I thought the sea serpent was small compared to the Kraken. Its circumference was a little bit bigger than one of the Kraken's tentacles, although I couldn't determine its length because I couldn't see how much of its body was concealed under the water. Its back was a bright blue, while its stomach was an off-white color. It might have been the water clinging to its scales, but I was almost certain its scales were actually shimmering in the evening light. Its head was lined with a blue frill, and its beady blue eyes were locked onto the man he was trying to pull from the netting with its huge jaws.

I could hear Mistress Ching and Donghai scrambling to get the crew under control to issue orders, but I stood mesmerized by the sea serpent. I noticed that as the man was ripped off the netting, he managed to draw his dagger and stab the creature inside of its mouth. The sea serpent roared in pain and flung the man back onto the deck. I rushed to the mangled body, only to find that he was already dead. I looked up, and the sea serpent was gone, presumably back into the water to recover from its injury.

By this time, Mistress Ching and Donghai had gathered the crew and were instructing weapons to be passed out as they were trying to issue a pep talk, but most of the crew wouldn't shut their mouths. I stepped up and interrupted them. "All of us need to stand in a small group in the middle of the ship."

"That will make us easy pickings!" a crew member in the back shouted.

"It will also allow the serpent's head to become an easy target." All of the crew was quiet at this point.

"Everyone saw how that thing's skin was like nothing you have ever seen on any other living creature. It repelled everything from blades to bullets. Its weaknesses are the sensory points: the eyes, the mouth, the nose. Not sure if it has ears, but if it does, shoot, stab, or otherwise maim anything that looks like something on your face."

I noticed that I had lost most of the crew's attention; they were all looking at something behind me. I really hoped the sea serpent hadn't risen up behind me while I was talking. That would be incredibly cliché.

I turned around, and sure enough, the giant blue water snake had reared its head high into the air behind me as I was talking. It opened its maw and gave out an ear-splitting roar, and then the crew split into a thousand different directions. The creature took a few more crew members into its mouth, and then retreated again to eat in peace before its next attack.

The crew's maniacal behavior didn't last long. Mistress Ching barked out something in Chinese, and the entire crew froze at once. She said something else, and they came back to the middle of the ship, although they were visibly trembling. They drew blades, axes, pistols, and shotguns, and some even put on a brave face. Most didn't. I myself drew a bejeweled dagger from the belt at my waist, which I put in my right hand. I put a pistol in my left and prepared for the next attack.

The serpent's head burst from the water, effectively soaking everyone within a quarter mile radius. Its massive jaws landed on the crewman standing directly next to me. I held eye contact with the beast's glittering eye for a fraction of a second before I drove the dagger into it. It let out a roar of pain, and I dropped my pistol and drove the end of the dagger in even further with the palm of my left hand. I saw the muscles all the way down its shimmering body go limp as it died.

More of the snake must have been under the water than above it, because the entire serpent slipped off the boat and back into the water. Everyone, including me, rushed to the railing and saw the creature's giant head floating in the water, its blood darkening the water.

"Well, what are you doing just standing there!" I heard Mistress Ching exclaim from behind me. "Sea serpent fangs are worth _huge_ amounts of money! Get me that head before it sinks! Oh, and thank you Elizabeth. You were a wonderful help."


	8. Dagger

I threw the bejeweled dagger one of the posts of my four-poster. It landed in the wood with a satisfying thud. I sat up and pulled the dagger out and lay back on the bed to take aim again. The dagger was quite ornate; the entire blade was made of silver, and there was a ruby the size of a baby's fist at the end of the hilt. A Kraken was carved into the handle, its tentacles reaching up toward the blade. I had only received the blade two months ago, but that didn't make it have any less sentimental value.

I was in Port Royale, trying to readjust to my old life as a respectable woman. The sun was shining strongly, and it had been unbearably hot for the past few days. I tended to stay inside and read because I couldn't stand the heat. I had wondered what was wrong with me; I had never been sensitive to the elements before. Of course, now I know it was because I was carrying a child.

I was reading some dry history novel in the parlor when my maid Sarah came in. "Mistress Swann, you have a visitor."

"Who is it?"

"He says his name is Bootstrap Bill. I'm not sure if you should see him, Mistress. That sounds like a pirate's name."

My eyes widened in a mixture of surprise and excitement. "Oh, that's just his joking. Send him in." I set down my book on the side table and rose from my chair.

Bill Turner looked different from the last time I saw him. All of the sea life that had been growing on his skin had vanished, and he looked remarkably similar to Will now that I could see what his face looked like under the starfish. I supposed that this dramatic change was initiated by the change of captain of the _Flying Dutchman._

Sarah was still standing in the corner. "You may leave," I said to her.

She gave me an odd look, as if she wasn't quite sure what I said. I gave her a different look that clearly stated that she better do what I said or run the risk of losing her job.

"You're not missing the starfish, are you Bootstrap?" I asked jokingly as I gestured toward his face.

"It's actually quite refreshing not carrying around an entire tide pool on your back. I didn't even realize how much weight I was carrying around until I lost it."

"Really, though, Bootstrap, why are you here? How is Will?"

"Will is fine. Relatively lovesick," he added, "but fine. He has a delivery for you." The elder Turner held out a small package wrapped in brown paper with a white envelope on top which had my name scrawled across it in what I recognized as Will's handwriting.

I took the package and the note from him. "Thank you. Is the _Flying Dutchman_ nearby?"

"No," he said. "The _Dutchman_ is on demanding business elsewhere. Will thought he could spare me to deliver this. It was good seeing you again, Elizabeth." With that he left.

I sat down on the chair again; I feared if I didn't my knees might give out. I set the package down on the table, ripped open the envelope, and began to read what Will had written.

_Dearest Elizabeth,_

_ I know you. I know you so well, that I would take any bet that you had opened this letter before opening the package I sent. So open the package before you read on, because I want to talk to you about it._

I momentarily set the letter down on the table next to the package, and I picked up the package and opened it. Inside it lay the bejeweled dagger in a bed of velvet. I snatched up the letter once more to read what Will said about his ornate gift.

_When I returned to my ship the last time I saw you, I hadn't actually been into the captain's cabin. As it turned out, there were a few blacksmith's tools in what looked like a long forgotten crate in a long forgotten corner of that room. I dug them out and brushed the dust off them. Among all of the tools, there was a half-finished project, which was the dagger you are now holding. I finished it during my spare time (which I have surprisingly a lot of). A few days before I finished it, I realized that your birthday was not far away._

I didn't even realize my birthday was not far away. What day was it today? I could hardly remember; I didn't really care about the dates much in those days. I read on.

_I decided to send this to you because... well to be honest it was the only thing I had. Not being able to make port really doesn't help anyone. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope it protects you, because I can't. I love you._

_ Will_

I still had that letter. I kept it in a locket, which I always carried around my neck. It was probably illegible by now because the locket certainly wasn't waterproof. I dug the dagger out of the wood post one last time, and then stuck it back in my belt. I had a sudden uncontrollable urge for pickles. I doubted we had any, but I decided it couldn't hurt to look.


	9. São Miguel

The waters of the Atlantic were luckily very smooth, and it was on the ninth day of sailing when a "Land ho!" could be heard from the crow's nest. We had landed on the island of São Miguel.

"This island is owned by the Portuguese. They are just as hostile to pirates as Spain or England, so step lightly! We make port at the pirate port of Gatuno, which is on the other side of the island. Take care not to go close to the shores of the island until we circle around it!" Donghai barked at the man who was at the wheel.

After we circled the island and made port, Mistress Ching's men went to restock the ship with supplies enough to sustain us for the last leg of the journey to Spain. Men were running around trying to hoist heavy crates onto the ship and then into the lower decks. As soon as the work was done, they could go into the town to find women and drink.

"There is a rumor," Mistress Ching said, "that Capitaine Chevalle's ship was taken down by the Portuguese, and that he is stranded in a bar known as the Donzela de Fogo. I think it would be wise to check up on this rumor."

"I agree," I said.

The Donzela de Fogo was near the docks, so it only took a few moments to find it. The inside of the bar looked like any other: a few filthy tables, a few filthy chairs, a few filthy customers, and one unhappy bartender, who eyed us warily as we walked in.

I scanned the faces of the few customers who were seated, but none of them looked like the Capitaine Chevalle who I remembered from the Brethren Court meeting. While I was looking around, Mistress Ching was speaking to the bartender in Portuguese, who after a few sentences pointed to the man sitting in the farthest corner of the room.

"Obrigado," she said to the bartender, and she walked across to the man who the bartender had pointed out.

I walked with her, and we sat down across from the man, who seemed to be very fascinated with the grain of the wood which made up the table.

"Capitaine Chevalle?" Mistress Ching questioned almost warily.

The man looked up and smiled grimly. "Come to laugh at my misfortune, have you Ching?" he said with a thick French accent. Without his French wig and makeup that he was wearing at the Court meeting, he was hardly recognizable. There were lines in his face, and he looked tired. His right hand held a dirty mug filled with something that smelled rather putrid.

"Actually, no. Not this time. We have come for you to give you approval to Mrs. Turner here. You see, to be able to remain as pirate king, she must—"

"I know the code!" he interrupted.

"Well then, if you do then you can give me my approval and we can be on our merry way," I said.

He looked as if he was thinking for a moment, and then he said, "I would love more than anything else to give you my approval, but..."

"But what?" I questioned.

"I'm out of a ship and a crew. So if you could get one for me, I would be very grateful and _might_ just even give you something that you need."

"Done," Mistress Ching said with a smile.

"Bloody pirates," I muttered under my breath.

As we walked out of the Donzela de Fogo, I asked Mistress Ching, "How exactly are you planning on getting an entire ship and crew? Is there some ability that you have to pull anything you need out of thin air? Because if so, I for one would like to know about it."

"We are on São Miguel, one of the biggest trading centers in the Atlantic Ocean for pirates. There are pirates practically leaking out of the walls. Jobless pirates, that is, who would cut off various body parts for the opportunity to serve under one of the nine pirate lords. Getting a crew won't be a problem."

"Well then, what about a ship? Those don't leak out of walls, last time I checked."

"São Miguel also happens to be a prime port for Spanish, English, and other countries' ships to stop before making the full trip across the Atlantic Ocean to the New World. It's not a matter of finding a ship. It's simply a matter of picking which one to take."

* * *

><p>I got stuck with the duty of ship stealing, because Mistress Ching supposedly knew more pirates on São Miguel than I did, which was probably true. I had already picked out which ship I was going to commandeer: a Spanish ship that looked so new that I suspected this might have been its first voyage. I also suspected that it was probably the crew's first voyage as well, because every single crew member had gone into town without leaving anyone behind to watch the ship. I almost couldn't believe my luck.<p>

Sneaking through the docks was easy when you were dressed like a sailor. It took me a few minutes to get the ship ready to sail, but not too long. I maneuvered the ship, _The Golden Mermaid,_ out of the docks and started to turn it toward Gatuno.

"Stop, Elizabeth Turner. You are surrounded by members of the Resistance. Disarm yourself, and your death won't be too painful."


	10. Making Headway

I remember the days in Port Royale I spent with Will, before we knew about Davy Jones, very clearly. Among other things, one of my favorite topics of conversation was his time spent with Captain Jack Sparrow on his quest to rescue me from Barbossa.

"Why do you always insist on me telling you these stories?" After extra-long swordplay practices with Will in the forge (Will owned his own forge at this point), I always wanted to know about something that had happened between Jack and Will. Will had once compared me to a child asking for a bedtime story; I always wanted to know every detail and everything described accurately.

"If I ever run into pirates again, which is more than likely seeing that we live in the middle of the Caribbean, I would like to know how they think, so I may outwit them on the field of battle." I sat down on a nearby stool and poured myself a glass of water from a slightly banged up silver pitcher which was sitting on a nearby table

Will smiled. "I think being a lady of Port Royal who knows how to wield a sword in and of itself would allow you to outwit just about any opponent on any playing field." As he said this, he walked over and pulled up a stool similar to the one that I was sitting on and sat next to me.

"The only opponent that that little trick wouldn't work on is you."

"True," he said as our faces were inching closer, "but there are so many other things that I would rather do with you than fight."

"No," I said abruptly as I put a finger over his approaching lips. "Tell me the story first."

He smiled, and then took the hand that was attached to the finger that was held over his lips and kissed it gently. "As you wish."

"We had just commandeered the Interceptor, and we were sailing for Tortuga, although I didn't know that at the time, in search of a crew. I knew that Jack knew my father, because he didn't agree to help me until he knew my name. I confronted him about it, and he said that my father was a pirate. I wasn't exactly fond of that idea at the time, so I drew my sword and challenged Jack. Of course, he just turned the steering wheel, which caused me to be suddenly dangling over the churning waters of the open ocean."

There was more to the story, but at the moment my mind concentrated only on the one part that might be able to help me. I looked behind me, where all of the pirates but two were gathered. _Sometimes,_ I thought,_ life is just too easy._

I turned around slowly, keeping my left hand on the wheel. When I was almost completely turned around, I yanked on the wheel. Most of the pirates didn't know what hit them. All but one was now floundering about helplessly in the churning blue waters, and the one who had managed to grab onto a piece of rope had grabbed onto the only piece of rope that was frayed. He was soon bobbing in the ocean like a seabird resting on the waves with the rest of his Resistance members.

I drew my sword and pointed it at the two remaining Resistance members still on the main deck. I walked down the stairs and said, "So you are going to jump over the side to be with your long forgotten friends?"

They both put their hands up and began to back away from me, while I began walking forward.

The taller of the two answered, "Yes, but only to tell the news to our leader that the great Elizabeth Swann is with child." They both then jumped off the boat.

I put my sword away and looked down at my growing belly. It wasn't that obvious, was it?

* * *

><p>I managed to get the boat back around to Gatuno without any further incident, although the entire time I was wondering if I should continue with this quest. After all, I was carrying Will's child. What if something happened?<p>

When I finally docked the boat in Gatuno, Mistress Ching, several dirty ruffians, and Capitaine Chevalle were already there.

"Well finally! I would have never thought that the pirate king would keep me waiting for so long!" Chevalle exclaimed as I was walking back onto the docks. He turned to the group of people who looked like homeless vagabonds and barked something in angry French. The seven or eight people I assumed to be his crew hurriedly gathered themselves and began to hastily make ready for sail.

"Capitaine Chevalle, are you not forgetting something?" Mistress Ching asked.

He turned around with an unhappy look on his face and barked, "What!"

"You need to give Captain Swann your approval."

"Ah, yes. I give you my approval. Now go, I don't want you in these waters again!" he barked back.

After he was back on his new ship, I asked, "What put him in such a foul mood?"

"It's a pride thing," Mistress Ching explained. "We are some of the few people who have seen him at a very low point in his life, so whenever he sees us in the future, he is going to hate us. I'm actually quite surprised that he asked us for help with the ship and the crew in the first place."

"Wonderful," I muttered. "Just what I need, another person in this world who hates me."

"What do you mean?"

I told her all about what happened with the Resistance, and my worries about continuing this quest while I was with child.

"You can't quit seeking out the Pirate Lords' approval," she said. "The Resistance will continue to seek you out, even if you stay on land. You will always be in danger, even if you take great pains to avoid it. You might actually be in greater danger if you choose to stay in one place. At least when you are on this quest, you will be constantly moving."

"But how did the Resistance find me in the first place?"

"They have bases in all of the major pirating ports around the globe," Mistress Ching responded. "When the base here heard that you were here, they probably sent spies to observe what they were doing, and then laid a trap for you."

"You're right," I agreed. "So are we leaving in the morning?"

"We'll leave when the majority of our crew gets back to the boat. When I was looking for that blasted crew for Chevalle, I noticed that a great number of our own crew was either drunk of mead, or drunk of feminine company."


	11. The Theives' Hideout

Before we left Gatuno, we did a little digging. Said "digging" involved talking to local bartenders, fishermen, and disarming one homeless drunkard, but within a few hours, we discovered that the closest pirate lord was Eduardo Villanueva, who was supposedly pirating off of the coast of Spain. When I questioned Mistress Ching about the reliability of these claims, she responded by asking if I had a better idea for finding the lords. I didn't.

The three days of sailing the rest of the way across the Atlantic Ocean toward the European Continent were surprisingly uneventful. No pirate ships, Navy vessels, or mythical sea monsters disturbed our journey. On about noon of the fourth day, we made port on a small pirating port on an island not far off the coast of Spain called La Sangre de Nuestros Enemigos, but I was told that everyone called it "The Theives' Hideout," or just "The Hideout."

"So do you think Villanueva is here?" I asked Mistress Ching soon after we docked. The crew was rushing around, making preparations for staying in port for a few days. Mistress Ching and I were calmly standing and looking out at the small town, although I'm not sure if it even deserves that title. It consisted of a few ramshackle buildings that looked like they might fall over with a slight gust of wind, and about twenty or so scruffy looking people, who lumbered through the streets as if they were the living dead. Sometimes they were followed by a skinny goat or a few mangled looking sheep. The only shocking thing was the amount of ships docked here. The number of pirate ships here almost equaled the size of the Royal Navy.

"I think he is out there," Mistress Ching said as she pointed a bony finger out at the horizon. "We will wait here until he returns from his gallivanting about. He is notorious for being the most restless of all of the pirate lords. He will come back here eventually." After she said this, she began to walk back towards her quarters.

"Wait! How long is eventually?" I shouted back to her, but she was already out of earshot.

I continued to look out at the miserable looking town. _I wonder, _I thought, _why do they give this little scumbag of a town as grand a name as "The Thieves'' Hideout?" And why are there so many other ships here? There are much better pirating ports, yet it seems that all of the ships within fifty square miles decided that this dump of a village was the best place to make port._

My curiosity was soon sated, because only a few moments after I wondered, the men from our ship finished with their work. They disembarked and made their way to the dilapidated town. I wondered what they planned on doing, seeing as there wasn't a bar in this sad little town.

As soon as they got off the boat, the villagers warmly welcomed them and ushered them toward one of the decrepit buildings. One villager stood by the entryway, collected something from each of the crew members, and then let them into the building. I got out a spy glass and discovered that each crew member was giving a small amount of money to the villager before entering. I decided that I would do the same.

I had some spare change in a purse on my person, so I disembarked and got in line. Once my turn came, I handed my money to the villager. His gave me an odd look, and I raised my eyebrows in response. He waved a hand, indicating that I was allowed to go in.

When I went into the building, the only thing that was in it was a set of stairs leading downward. There were a few tables and chairs where some people were out playing cards, but from the boisterous singing, off-pitch singing, and drunken yelling, I could tell that the real party was going on downstairs. So I followed my ears downstairs.

I assumed that the giant cave that I had just walked into was naturally made, because it would have taken _way _too long to carve out by hand because it was _so _massive. Two circular bars were in the middle of the room. Each was being worked by two bartenders who looked like they hadn't had a good night's sleep in a while. The rest of the room was filled with wooden tables and chairs, and almost every one of those chairs was occupied. Some pirates were playing cards, while some were drinking and talking loudly with slurred words. Some were doing both. There was a group of six or seven minstrels who were playing a merry tune off in the far corner. The air was thick with the smells of liquor, smoke, and body odor.

_An underground pirate bar, _I thought. _Now I've seen it all._

Although the sights and smells of this bar were quite overwhelming, there was one particular person who caught my attention. He was sitting at the bar closest to the entrance and laughing drunkenly, sloshing around the drink in his cup. I could recognize that high-pitched laugh for anyone else.

"Looks like I've found myself another pirate lord," I said, although I don't think anyone heard.


	12. Sri Sumbahjee Angria

I began to wade through the fallen chairs and passed out bodies on the floor. I wanted to get this over and done with as soon as possible. I hadn't ever minded being in a bar before, but my pregnancy was heightening my senses. The smell of smoke and alcohol was making me want to retch.

I finally made my way over one of the bars, where several men were still laughing from something that I presume was said a long time before I came in. I also had the sneaking suspicion that whatever was said wasn't all that funny.

The men didn't even notice me, even though I was standing right in front of them. I didn't really care. I didn't want to talk to all of them, just one in particular.

"You all need to go outside now!" I said straining to make myself heard above all of the noise in the bar. I followed up with some erratic hand motions that indicated what I had just said. About three of the men looked up to acknowledge what I was saying (or maybe it was the hand motions that got their attention). They gave me curious looks for a second, and then one of them slumped out of his chair and fell unconscious to the floor. I assumed it was from the alcohol. I looked up and saw the bartender signal someone from across the room. A few moments later, a muscular man came over, threw the man over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and began to make his way toward the door.

"That's it! You!" I said loud enough to be heard over the cacophony as I grabbed a rather short man with a large amount of grey facial hair and a green turban that was hanging off of his head and shoulders in pieces, "You're coming with me!"

I dragged the little man by his beard as he stumbled drunkenly behind me. I found an empty table in the back, where the stench of smoke wasn't so bad, and I was pretty sure that no one would come back here by accident.

"Sri Sumbahjee Angria."

"I'm not really drunk!" he said suddenly in that high squeaky voice of his. "I was just pretending to so my men wouldn't think that I am not a man! Please don't tell my mother!" He looked genuinely frightened.

"That's not what I'm here about," I said, managing to keep a straight face between the poor man's squeaky voice and his references to his mother.

"Oh," he said. "So what are you here about, Elizabeth Turner?" He proceeded to put his tiny feet up on the table, which were adorned in those cute little slippers that looked like they belonged to one of Santa's elves.

"It's about your approval of my position in the Court."

"Oh, that? I wasn't even sure they enforced that part of the code anymore!"

"Tell that to Captain Teague."

"I'd really rather not," he said seriously, or at least as seriously as a man can with a voice as high as his was.

"I understand. So, do you give me my approval?"

"Absolutely. You showed that you are a good leader and true pirate, and I think that—"

BOOM!

The far side of the bar came crashing inward. Pieces of rock flew through the air. Some harmlessly hit tables or the floor, while others hit people who were far past drunk in the head, making them crumple to the floor or look up and start criticizing the ceiling.

A few other people and I had the sense to know that the real culprit behind this random explosion was not the ceiling. I turned to the gaping hole in the solid rock to see a familiar face with his crew. Eduardo Villanueva looked as good as ever. He was also pointing his sword in my direction and had a cross expression. What did I do now?

"You, Sri Sumbahjee Angria!" he shouted angrily as he advanced menacingly across the room. At least it wasn't my fault this time. "_You _have stolen _my_ gold from_ me_ and now _I _want it back!" By this point he had already crossed the room and had laid the point of his sword on Sri Sumbahjee's chest.

He put his hands up and said, "That gold was just sitting there on the beach! No one was around, so I thought it was free for the taking!" in a higher voice than normal.

"Yes, there was no one around because you knocked out my guards and dragged them into some nearby shrubbery," he said while glaring at Sri Sumbahjee accusingly. "But I will forgive and forget if you would just give me my money back." He held out his left hand, as his right was still holding the sword against the poor man's chest.

"Well...you see...that's the thing. I don't have your gold."

"You don't have it, do you? Well then who does!" he yelled as he pulled the short man up and out of his chair with his toes dangling at least two and a half feet off the ground.

"Well..." he said, obviously trying to drag out the conversation so he could live longer. Good thing I had already gotten his approval. If I got in the middle of this pirate fight, I might lose more than my approval from Eduardo.

I heard a deep thumping coming from the entrance.

"Wait!" I said as I threw a hand between them. "Listen!"

They both stopped their fighting and turned toward the entrance.

Eduardo was barely able to get out, "What's that thumping noise?" before about thirty members of the Royal Navy marched in.

Someone in the back of the redcoats said, "All here are now under the custody of the British Empire on accounts of alleged piracy. Resistance is futile. We will capture all of you."

A pirate, whose location I couldn't verify, slurred loudly, "Shilly! You guishesh can't be in here! It'sh _undergroooouuunnnndddaaaa!_" A figure, I assumed it was the pirate who had spoken previously, proceeded to walk up to the nearest Navy officer and hugged him tightly while he said, "SSSSHHHHHH! Don't tell da Navy!"


End file.
